JP2910687B2 - Printing apparatus and printing method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus such as a printer having command analysis means in a plurality of printer languages, which receives print data from a host apparatus and performs printing, and a printing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printing apparatus and a printing method of this kind reduce a user's trouble and print with a wrong setting by a user, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-242895, for example. Is used to prevent The outline will be described with reference to FIG. Host device 200
When the print data is sent from the printer main body 100 to the printer main body 100, the print data is stored in the reception buffer 111, and the printer language is determined by the printer language determination unit 112. The print control unit (113, 114, or 115) that can analyze the printer language is determined by the determination, the print control unit analyzes the print control unit, and outputs from the recording unit 116.

[0003]

According to the above-mentioned conventional technique, even when there is a high possibility that the data is analyzed by a specific print control unit, the printer language is determined by the printer language determination unit 112, and a certain processing is performed. Because it takes time, it takes time to print.

In the case where some trouble occurs in the host device 200 and print data is not sent in the middle, and print data in a printer language that cannot be analyzed by the print control unit is sent continuously, the same condition is not applied. The print control unit analyzes the print data, resulting in erroneous printing.

In order to improve this, it is conceivable to return to the printer language discriminating section immediately after the print data is interrupted. In this case, however, the printer language is discriminated many times during the print data. It takes a very long time to print.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method which can process different printer languages without user operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method for preventing erroneous printing due to an incorrect user setting.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method in which the printing time is reduced.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method which do not cause erroneous printing even when print data reception is interrupted and print data in another printer language is subsequently received. .

[0010]

A printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a receiving unit (11 in FIG. 1) for receiving print data from a higher-level device (20 in FIG. 1), and a specific printer language analyzed and input. First to XM-th command analysis means (14, 15, and 19 in FIG. 1) for outputting an analysis error when the executed command is a command that cannot be analyzed;
A printer language automatic discriminating means (13 in FIG. 1) for discriminating the printer language using a fixed amount of print data before and after the command in which the command is generated, and a program only when an analysis error occurs. There is provided a language discriminator calling means (16 in FIG. 1) for calling the linter language automatic discriminating means (13 in FIG. 1).

The printing apparatus of the present invention has a plurality of command analysis means for analyzing a specific printer language and outputting an analysis error when an input command is an unanalysable command. Detected by an analysis error output when the command input to the analysis means is a command that cannot be analyzed. For this reason, if some kind of trouble occurs, print data is not sent in the middle, and even if print data of different printer languages are sent continuously, an analysis error occurs in the command analysis means, and the printer language automatic Since it is possible to call the discriminating means, to make a discrimination by the printer language automatic discriminating means, and to switch to another appropriate command analyzing means, it is possible to avoid erroneous printing.

[0012]

Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

The printer body 10 includes a receiving unit 11, a printer language automatic determining unit 13 for determining a printer language of print data input from the receiving unit, and a specific printer language. First to output an analysis error if the command cannot be analyzed
To XM-th command analyzing means, a language discriminating section calling means 16, and a drawing means 17 and an engine control means 18 as means for outputting.

The receiving means 11 is means for receiving print data sent from a personal computer connected on a network, which is the host device 20.

The printer language automatic discriminating means 13 is a means for discriminating the printer language by referring to the print data and determining which of the first to XM command analyzing means the print data is to be sent to.

The first to XM-th command analysis means are means for analyzing print data. The first command analysis means can analyze the printer language A, the second command analysis means can analyze the printer language B, and the XM command analysis means can analyze the printer language M.
The first to XM command analysis means have a function of analyzing an input command and outputting an analysis error if the command cannot be analyzed.

The language discriminating unit calling means 16 is provided with
This is a means for calling the printer language automatic determination means 13 when an analysis error occurs in the command analysis means up to M. The print data for analysis, error information, and the like required by the printer language automatic discriminating means 13 at the time of calling are provided by the language discriminating section calling means 16.

The drawing means 17 is means for creating drawing data recognizable by the printing means from the results analyzed by the first to XMth command analysis means.

The engine control means 18 is a means for printing the drawing data created by the drawing means.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

When print data is received from the host device 20, the print data is stored in the receiving means 11, and the first command in the print data is read and analyzed by a set command analyzing means (step S1). . Which command analyzing means first analyzes a command is previously selected and set by the user. It is determined whether an analysis error has occurred when the command is analyzed (step S2). If no error is detected, it is determined whether the print data is completed (step S3). If not, the process returns to step S1. , The next command is parsed. If the print data is completed, the print is performed by the engine control means 18 (step S11). If an analysis error is detected in step S2, of the drawing data obtained as a result of analyzing the print data up to the command before the error is detected, valid data is printed, and invalid data is discarded. (Step S4). Then, the language discriminating section calling means 16 is switched to the printer language automatic discriminating means 13.
To determine the printer language (step S
5). At this time, information necessary for discrimination by the printer language automatic discriminating means 13 is provided from the language discriminating unit calling means 16.

As a result of the discrimination by the printer language automatic discriminating means 13, for example, the second command analyzing means 15 is selected,
The analysis by the second command analysis means 15 starts (step S6). The command is analyzed by the second command analysis means 15 (step S7), and the presence or absence of an analysis error is determined (step S8). If there is an analysis error, there is any valid drawing data analyzed by the second analysis means. If not, the drawing data is discarded (step S9), and the process returns to step S5, where the printer language automatic discriminating means 13 is called and discrimination is performed again.

If there is no analysis error, it is determined whether the print data has ended (step S10). If there is no more print data in the receiving means 11, printing is performed by the engine control means 18 (step S11).

Next, the operation of the printer language automatic discriminating means 13 in step S3 will be described in detail.

First, the language discriminator calling means 16 is provided with an evaluation table as shown in FIG. 8, in which a plurality of commands are arranged in the possibility of being in the printer languages A to M, respectively. Some commands are used in a plurality of types of languages, and the possibility of the printer language cannot be represented by 1 or 0. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the points of the possibility are represented by 0 to 10, and the larger the point is, the higher the possibility of the printer language is, and when it is 0, there is no possibility. Based on this evaluation table, an evaluation list as shown in FIG. 9 indicating which command is included in the print data is created as described later, and the languages A to M are then created based on the created evaluation list.
Are determined, compared relatively, and determined.

FIG. 3 shows the printer language automatic discriminating means 13.
9 is a flowchart showing an operation for creating an evaluation list as a judgment material for specifying a language of print data. FIG. 9 is an example of an evaluation list created as a result of the operation.

The printer language automatic discriminating means 13 receives a certain amount of print data for analysis before and after the command in which the analysis error has occurred from the language discriminating unit calling means 16 and creates an evaluation list. First, the command 1 is read from the evaluation table (step S31), and compared with the print data for analysis (step S32). The comparison is performed by a character string search method. It is determined whether or not the command 1 is included in the analysis print data (step S33). If the command 1 is included, it is stored as a list as shown in FIG. 9 together with the command position and the possible points for each printer language (step S3).
4). At this time, only the command portion that does not include any parameters is compared.

It is determined whether the comparison has been completed up to the end of the analysis print data (step S35). If the comparison has not been completed, the process returns to step S32 to continue the comparison with the print data.
If the analysis print data includes a number of commands 1, the command 1 is added and stored many times.

If the comparison has been completed up to the end of the analysis print data, it is determined whether the evaluated command is the last command in the evaluation table (step S36). If not, the process returns to step S31 and returns to step S31. Is read from the evaluation table and compared with the analysis print data.

When the processing is completed up to the last command, the list is rearranged in the order in which it was arranged in the analysis print data while viewing the information on the position of the command (step S37). After that, the order indicating the command number in the analyzed data is written. In this way, an evaluation list for analysis is created.

FIG. 4 shows the language A based on the created evaluation list.
9 is a flowchart illustrating an operation for determining which command is likely to be M.

The points of the printer language A related to the first command analysis means 14 which is the command analysis means at the time of occurrence of an analysis error will be examined in order from the top. First, the command order Y is set to 1 (step S301), and the point of the Y-th command in the column for the language in which the error has occurred is read (step S302). It is determined whether or not a predetermined reference value, for example, 5 points or more (step S3).
04), if it is not less than the reference value, add 1 to Y (step S)
303), returning to step S302. When the value falls below the reference value, the value of Y is stored in the register Y1 (step S3).
05). In FIG. 9, it is stored as the sixth command.

Next, points are sequentially examined from the bottom to the top for all printer languages. The language order X is set to 1 and the command order Y is set to the last number (8 in the list of FIG. 9) (step S311), and the point of the command Y row in the language X column is read (step S312). It is determined whether the value is equal to or more than a predetermined reference value, for example, 5 (step S3).
14) If it is not less than the reference value, subtract 1 from Y (step S313) and return to step S312. When the value falls below the reference value, the value of Y + 1 is stored in the register Y2 [X] (step S315). In FIG. 9, the printer language A is the ninth (actually, it is lower than the reference value at the time of the eighth analysis,
The value to be stored is the value obtained by adding 1), printer language B
Is the fifth value (actually, the value is lower than the reference value at the time of the fourth analysis, but the value to be stored is obtained by adding 1).

FIG. 5 shows that the printer language automatic discriminating means 13 compares the data Y1 and Y2 [X] indicating the order stored in FIG. 4 and discriminates an appropriate printer language after the occurrence of an analysis error. 9 shows a procedure for determining the head of print data of a newly determined printer language. Information Y indicating the position of the error command stored in FIG.
1 is compared with information Y2 [X] indicating from which position the command is in another printer language (step S322), and if they match, the determination ends at that point (step S33).
0). If they do not match, the point is changed by comparing with the parameter information of each command separately prepared in addition to FIG. 9 (step S325). Thereafter, once again, the information Y1 indicating the position of the error command stored in FIG. 4 is compared with the information Y2 [X] indicating the position from which the command is in another printer language (step S327).
If they match, the discrimination is completed, and if they do not match, the discrimination fails, and processing is performed when discrimination fails (step S33).
1). When the determination is successful, the analysis is started by the determined command analysis means from the head of the determined print data.

An example of the list shown in FIG. 9 will be specifically described.

In the printer language A, when viewed from above, the position Y1 below the reference is the sixth position, and when viewed from the bottom in the printer language A, the position Y2 [1] below the reference is the eighth position. There is no possibility that it is language A. Position Y2 [2], which is below the reference when viewed from below in printer language B
Is the fifth, and it is highly likely that the fifth command is in either printer language. Therefore, with regard to this command, the parameters of the command are also checked, and the point with the lower possibility is reduced (step S).
326). For example, assuming that the point of the printer language B is 0, Y2 [2] is the sixth, and when compared again (step S327), Y1 and Y2 [2] are equal and the sixth, and the sixth is the boundary. It is determined that there is.
The analysis is started by the second command analysis means with the sixth command at the head.

As described above, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the printer language automatic discriminating means 13 is called only when an error is detected by the first to XMth command analyzing means. It is not necessary to always determine the printer language at the beginning of such print data. For this reason,
Processing time can be reduced.

Next, the configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, when print data is sent from the host device 20, the printer language automatic discriminating means 13 is called directly. This is different from the configuration in which the printer language automatic determination means 13 is called only when an analysis error is detected by any of the command analysis means from the first to the XMth command analysis means.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, when print data is sent to the receiving means 11 after the printer is started, the printer language automatic discriminating means 13 analyzes and discriminates the first fixed amount of print data (step S1). S61).

Thus, when a printer language other than a specific language is frequently used, it is possible to start analysis by an inappropriate command analysis means, to generate an analysis error, and to save time for the processing. Processing speed. Also, since only a certain amount is automatically determined, even if the language is a specific language, time is not wasted so much.

Based on the result of the analysis, as in the first embodiment, any one of the first to XM command analysis means is used for analysis by the designated command analysis means. If an analysis error is detected, the printer language automatic determination means 13 performs analysis and determination again.

In the first and second embodiments, when the analysis by any of the first to XM command analysis means is completed and a predetermined time has elapsed since the print result was discharged, A function of returning from the print data waiting state in the command analysis unit, which has been performing the analysis, to the print data waiting state in the printer language automatic determination unit 13 may be added.

In the case where a plurality of printer languages are used at the same level of establishment, there is a high possibility that print data of another language will be received after being interrupted, and analysis by inappropriate command analysis means will be performed. Is started, an analysis error is generated, and the time required for the processing can be saved, and the processing speed is increased.

In the first and second embodiments,
Although the point method is used in the analysis method by the printer language automatic discriminating means 13 when an analysis error occurs, first, the command that caused the analysis error is checked, and it is possible to specify that the printer language is a certain one. If the command is a command to be positioned at the head of the print data, such as a conversion command, the head of the print data and the command analysis means can be immediately determined.

[0050]

The first effect is that erroneous printing is reduced.

The reason is that an error is detected at the time of analysis by an erroneous command analysis means, and the printer language is automatically determined.

The second effect is that the printing time is shortened.

The reason is that, when a plurality of printer languages are used but there are relatively many opportunities to use a specific printer language, when the printer starts receiving print data, the printer language is automatically determined with a small amount of data. This is because the command analysis means is specified without performing the printer language automatic discrimination at all, and then the printer language automatic discrimination is only performed when an error is detected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a part of a detailed operation of step S5 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a detailed operation performed in step S5 of FIG. 2 subsequent to the operation of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a detailed operation performed in step S5 of FIG. 2 subsequent to the operation of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of FIG.

FIG. 8 is an example of an evaluation table according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an example of an evaluation list according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a conventional printer with a printer language automatic discrimination function.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Printer body 11 Receiving means 13 Printer automatic discriminating means 14 First command analyzing means 15 Second command analyzing means 16 Language discriminating unit calling means 17 Drawing means 18 Engine control means 19 XM command analyzing means 20 Host device

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-5-270069 (JP, A) JP-A-6-71978 (JP, A) JP-A-5-104828 (JP, A) JP-A-5-104828 40124 (JP, A) JP-A-5-96823 (JP, A) JP-A-5-104826 (JP, A) JP-A-6-71952 (JP, A) JP-A-5-324930 (JP, A) JP-A-8-123636 (JP, A) JP-A-8-290635 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 29/38 G06F 3/12

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A receiving means for receiving print data transmitted from a host device, a plurality of command analyzing means for sequentially reading and analyzing commands of print data, and outputting an analysis error when the read command cannot be analyzed; Analysis
Use a fixed amount of print data before and after the command that generated the error .
Printing apparatus having a printer language automatically discriminating means, and a language determination unit calling means for calling the flop <br/> printer language automatically determining means only when it detects a parsing error command analysis means for determining a printer language are. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said language discriminating section calling means includes a command
And the print data using that command is
Table with probabilities of being written in a native language
The printer language automatic discrimination means has a mark to be discriminated.
For all commands included in the printing data,
Print data is described in each printer language
The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the printer language is determined by determining a probability that the printer language is obtained . 3. The printer language automatic discrimination means,
For all commands included in the print data
Referring to the table, the print data is stored in each printer language.
Calculate the probability of being described in the
If the language described in changes, the pudding before and after the change
Data language and which command description language has changed
The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the determination is performed . 4. Receiving print data transmitted from a host device.
Receiving process and print data command read sequentially
If the read command cannot be analyzed,
Command analysis process that outputs a parsing error
Using a certain amount of print data before and after the command
A printer language automatic determination process for determining the printer language;
Printer only when analysis error is detected by command analysis means
A language discriminating unit calling step for calling the automatic language discriminating means.
The printing method you want . 5. The method according to claim 5, wherein the command analysis step includes
When an analysis error is detected during command analysis,
Print data printer by calling the automatic language discrimination process
The language is determined, and a second command is determined based on the result of the determination.
Command analysis process to analyze print data commands.
5. The printing method according to claim 4, wherein: